


Steal The Girl

by SpellCasterLight



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Mild Feelings of Being Wanted, Mild Language, Self Challenge Tenten Week 2021, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29898426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpellCasterLight/pseuds/SpellCasterLight
Summary: "What do you want Shino to do?" Kiba asked motioning to him. "Go in and steal her away? He's hardly Casanova," the Inuzuka looked down before back at him. "No offence." Shino didn't even dignify that with an answer. [Shino x Tenten] Self-Challenge Tenten Week – Day 5 Prompt: Thief
Relationships: Aburame Shino/Tenten
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. This story is purely for entertainment not profit.
> 
> Author's Notes: Self Challenge Tenten Week 2021 Day 5! We've all had terrible dates, Tenten is about to have hers =[ But Shino will talk some sense into her!
> 
> Pairing Warning: It also goes without saying but if [Shino x Tenten] isn't your thing turn back now.
> 
> Warnings: Mild Language. Mild Violence. Mild Feelings of Being Wanted.
> 
> Self-Challenge Tenten Week – Day 5 Prompt: Thief

This was insane. Paper bombs located all over the city. Ready to blow up their whole village when just one of the many triggers was activated. Hinata, himself, Naruto and Tenten were put in charge of disabling the paper bombs while the others looked for more information.

"Shino," Tenten smiled brightly. "Be my partner? Wanna team up?"

That surprised him. He would have assumed she would have reached out to Hinata with her byakugan or even Naruto before asking himself.

He nodded and she bounced on the spot before, clapping and throwing both thumbs over her shoulders.

"Let's go then!"

When Naruto and Hinata had partnered up and went the other direction, Hinata red faced as he knew she would be, Shino then realised what Tenten was doing.

"That was; thoughtful; of you."

She turned to him, looking up from the map she had. "What was?"

"Teaming up with me; to allow Hinata and Naruto; to spend time together."

The bun haired girl's expression quickly went through the motions of confused, then dawning, and finally settling on amused.

"Hey! I guess you're right!"

Shino found himself frowning; so, that wasn't why she asked?

* * *

They had just returned from the mission to assist the Sand in returning one of their colleagues, Lee had just told Tenten what she had missed and she was, not happy, about not being on the mission with all her friends; he could understand.

"You guys missed me, right?!"

Kiba, Choji and himself all backed off slightly at the girl's sudden yell to their right.

The dog owner was the first to recover. "Yea! Course we did!"

"Yea totally," Choji agreed.

Tenten turned to him, to beg him with her giant, puppy dog eyes, and hands clasped at her chin. Shino found himself succumbing to her powers of persuasion.

"Yes Tenten; your absence was; noted."

The girl gave a happy yell before throwing her arms around him in a hug. When he stilled, she somehow forced his head down even further, to happily hug his head and he stilled even more, embarrassment flowing freely through him.

"Uhh Tenten?"

From his captured position he couldn't tell exactly what happened, but he felt Tenten still in her movements.

"Yea Kiba?"

"Are you meaning to hug Shino's head into you boobs?"

There was a second of silence before he was released, and he fell to the ground, feeling slightly lightheaded.

"Shino!" Tenten called looking over him, suddenly looking flustered herself. "Are you okay?!"

He heard Kiba laugh. "Leave him! If he dies, he died happy!"

* * *

Tenten, Lee, Kiba and Hinata were sitting in a circle conversing, Ino and Sakura were yelling at each other and Sai while Kakashi, Shizune and Yamato came up with a plan to deal with the Three Tailed Beast in the other room. He was leaning against the wall, by himself, of cour-

"Shino!"

The sudden call of his name made his head rise.

Tenten smiled at him from her spot on the floor, she raised her hand to him, palm up. "Come sit by me!"

He pushed himself off the wall and came to stand in the open part of the circle his friends had formed, the older girl grabbing his hand when he got there and giving it a tug to make him sit.

When he sat the insect tamer moved to remove his hand from her grasp, but she only held on tighter. When he looked at her for an explanation she was already looking up and talking to Lee again.

He continued to hold her hand as they sat there. Her hand was so warm, and his hive appreciated the heat. That was the only reason he continued to hold her incredibly soft hand; the only reason at all.

* * *

The graveyard was starting to empty, people slowly wandering off to take their grief of loved ones lost from the war to be dealt with by themselves.

But Shino silently stayed, watching over her as she lingered at Neji's grave, it made sense, the Hyuga boy was her best friend after all.

When he approached, she turned even though he didn't make a noise.

"Shino," Tenten gave him a broken smile. "How are you? Are you okay? I wanted to ask earlier but never got the chance."

That confused him. "May; I ask why?"

"Naruto sort of told us about how you had to fight a reanimated Aburame, that couldn't have been easy for you," the weapons user frowned then, her voice lowering. "And then I asked your dad about it and he told me it was his adopted son so; wouldn't that make him your brother?" Her hands came to clasp in front of her, that concerned expression never leaving her face. " _Are_ you okay?"

Her best friend had just died, and she was asking how he was; how could one person have such kindness in them?

"I am well Tenten; I wished only; to know how you were."

She sighed; her lips attempted another smile but not quite succeeding. "Oh, you know," she looked back at the grave. "I'll be okay."

He came to stand beside her, and the bun haired girl wrapped her hands around his upper arm, he could feel, even through his two coats, that her hands were shaking lightly.

"Would you like me; to walk you home? It is rather late."

"Would that be okay?" She asked as he felt her grip on his arm tighten slightly.

"I am at your disposal Tenten," he rested his own hand shyly on the one she had around his arm. "For as long; you require me to be."

Her hand moved to be placed over his at that.


	2. Chapter 2

They had just left Hinata home after a team training session when the madness ball started rolling.

"FRIEND SHINO YOU MUST HELP!"

Lee jumped down right in front of him scaring Kiba half to death and making Akamaru bark wildly; Shino himself merely quickly blinked a few times behind his goggles.

"What the hell man?!" Kiba yelled at the taijutsu user.

"Please friend Shino! You must assist!" Lee gripped his upper arms looking distraught. "Tenten is in danger!"

That had both members of Team Eight on their guard.

"What happened?" Shino demanded.

"Yea; how can we help?" Kiba came to stand determinately on his right side.

"This evening Tenten is going to endeavour to explore an unknown battlefield for the first time! With an unworthy villain in disguise no less! And I wish to be there with the proper tools to catch this scoundrel in the act should he proceed in an undignified manner to our dear friend! Should her honour or womanliness be affronted!"

Shino saw Kiba tilt his head and drop his jaw in confusion; he, himself, would admit Lee had had him until Tenten's 'honour 'and 'womanliness' came up.

The bug user spoke up. "What?"

"It mean's she's going on a date."

Ino jumped down then from the same direction Lee had come from.

"And we don't trust the guy and we want to keep an eye on her," the blonde-haired girl threw a glare at Lee. "I told you to wait up!"

Kiba looked at Lee like he was insane. " _That's_ what that meant?"

That made Shino even more confused. "You should not spy on your friends Lee; why? It is rude; and a betrayal of trust."

"I am aware of the negatives of my suggestion!" Lee started again looking strong-willed gripping his arms again. "But I believe Tenten's romantic companion is untrustworthy!"

The Aburame frowned. "What brings you; to this conclusion?"

"Because _I_ told him he was."

Shino and Kiba turned to Ino who looked uncharacteristically serious.

"Lee came to me asking how to handle his little Tenten going on her first date," the Yamanaka smiled at the over protectiveness of the taijutsu user before frowning. "But when he told me who it was-" she gagged. "–The man is _dirt_ ; a known skirt chaser; he's known throughout my family because he's constantly in buying flowers for girls he plans on-" Ino looked like she swallowed something distasteful. "– _tasting their virgin honey pot_."

Shino heard Kiba growl beside him and even he felt bile come up his throat. That was disgusting, who talked like that?

"Sounds like a real peach," Kiba practically hissed. The brown-haired boy turned to Lee. "And Tenten agreed to go out with this guy?"

"I do not believe our dearest friend knows of his dastardly objectives for her!"

"I do not understand," Shino expressed looking at Ino again. "Why not just tell her? Tell her not; to date this person?"

" _We can't do that_!" Ino practically hissed making her way over to the boys. "It's the first time she's ever been asked out! I don't care how tomboyish Tenten is! She would be devastated! Her pride would be shot!"

"Alright okay," Kiba held up his hands. "We don't want to hurt Tenten's pride, but we don't want his scumbag touching her, we're with you on that."

Shino felt himself nod; that much was true.

"What do you want Shino to do?" Kiba asked motioning to him. "Go in and steal her away? He's hardly Casanova," the Inuzuka looked down before back at him. "No offence."

Shino didn't even dignify that with an answer; but his brain did conjure an image of Tenten being harassed by a faceless man and him stepping in and punching the man; and Tenten giving him a thankful hug and a smile.

He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts.

"We need the Aburame's information gathering skills!" Lee spoke up.

"We can follow them but as soon as they go inside somewhere, we're useless," Ino explained. "Even if I took over someone else in the restaurant, I would need to release them from my jutsu as soon as whoever they're with catches on that they're acting weird."

"So, you want me to use my beetles; to watch; and listen to them; and report back?"

"Yes!" Ino and Lee exclaimed.

"Alright we're in," the Inuzuka grinned and Lee and Ino cheered while Shino blinked.

"We are?"

Everyone ignored his question.

"Right everyone meet at the flower shop no later than quarter to eight, he's picking her up from hers at eight," Ino beamed. "Operation keep-Tenten-away-from-slimeball is a go!"

Lee enveloped Shino in a rib crushing hug. "Thank you, friend Shino! Your assistance is most appreciated!"

Shino sighed. How did he get dragged into this?


	3. Chapter 3

The Aburame heir had enough time to go home, eat and shower before heading out again wondering for the hundredth time what he was even doing, what Kiba had dragged them into.

"Are you; going out again?" His father asked not looking up from the scroll laid out on the kitchen table.

"Yes," Shino replied hoping his father wouldn't question further.

"Doing anything; interesting?"

No such luck it seemed.

The younger Aburame scrunched up his eyes. Now, how to word this?

"A few of us; are going to-" at his pause his father raised his head to look at him. "–look after a comrade; who; may; need our assistance."

Shibi furrowed his brow at that. "May; need?"

"Believe me father; do not ask."

* * *

Tenten, it turned out, lived in the same apartment block as Naruto. The four-man monitoring squad, because that's basically what was happening, were hidden in the trees across the road.

"That's him!" Ino whispered pointing to the man that had just turned the corner onto the main road.

"Go Akamaru and make it quick!"

Akamaru gave a small 'yipp' before jumping out of the tree and crouching down behind a bench a little down the road from Tenten's date.

"What are you doing?" Lee whispered in a hush.

"You're going to give the game away!" The Yamanaka added and Shino couldn't help but agree, it wasn't like most stray dogs grew to be the size Akamaru was.

"Relax! We got this!" Kiba waved off their concern before pulling a hand sign and transforming Akamaru into a human who didn't look like anyone they knew.

The white-haired dog then started walking, on two legs like a human, down the street almost like he meant to pass the man they were going to follow all night.

"What; are; you doing?" Shino asked calmer than Lee did.

"I want Akamaru to get his scent," Kiba replied, following the canine with his eyes. "If he smells like anything illegal or dodgy, we can know right away what we're dealing with."

The Aburame nodded. That made sense.

"Good thinking friend Kiba!" Lee fiercely whispered. "To defeat one's enemy, you must know your enemy!"

Akamaru as the nameless stranger passed the man a few moments later. The dog companion only transformed back when he was safely beside them in the trees.

"Whatcha smell boy?"

With every bark Akamaru gave Kiba's eyebrows furrowed more; when Akamaru went silent the Inuzuka growled low in his throat.

"What; did he say?" Shino asked getting a very bad feeling. If Kiba was that pissed off it must have been something bad.

"He's taken a shower recently; and he's wearing some nasty-ass cologne, but he has an underlying scent of alcohol and sex."

Shino felt his teeth want to grind together; that cemented it; he didn't want Tenten around this guy.

"See what I mean?" Ino exclaimed waving an arm in the guy's direction. "He's probably only up from his date last night," she turned and started patting Akamaru affectionately. "And you had to smell that creep! I'm so sorry Akamaru."

Akamaru whined and placed his head in her lap.

"I hope Tenten realises how unworthy this man is quickly!" Lee said, watching the man as he leant against the railing outside the front doors to the apartment complex. "Then we will all be able to rest easy."

"Only if she punches him right in the kisser first," Ino muttered and Akamaru barked in agreement from her lap.

Shino shook his head he agreed with his friends but, realistically-

"We must remain neutral. If this were any other mission; we would follow the information we collect; not the information we have been given; with an opinion attached to it."

The man leaned against the gate to the weapon user's apartment block a few minutes before Tenten herself appeared; immediately causing a commotion amongst the group.

Ino's jaw dropped and both her hands nearly slammed into her cheeks in shock. "Oh my-Tenten?! Would you look at that outfit! Who knew Tenten had it in her?!"

"Damn," Kiba muttered eyes wide. "Girl got _legs_."

"And hair!" Ino exclaimed almost in envy. "Her hair's longer than mine!"

"Oh Tenten! You beautiful blooming flower!" Lee hugged Ino crying openly.

Shino was glad of his undercoat because his mouth had openly dropped at the sight.

The weapons mistress was like some sort of warrior goddess; both beautiful and deadly. Her hair flowed down her entire back like liquid chocolate. Her dress was a seafoam green colour, a high neck but no material covered her back and had high slits that, combined with the high heels she wore, showed off her, toned, mouth-watering legs.

She was, simply put, absolutely stunning.

His vision seemed to snap back into place when the man seemed to lean in to say some to her.

"What'd he say?" Ino whispered.

Shino's beetle returned to him, the one that had had silently sent to sit on the shoulder of Tenten's date as soon as he was identified, as he sent off another, he listened to his beetle's report and frowned.

"He said she looked; pretty."

" _Pretty_?!" Ino nearly screeched. "Are you freaking _kidding_ me?!"

"What is wrong with that?" Lee asked honestly confused. "Is that not a nice thing to say?"

"Look at her!" Ino motioned to Tenten with both arms outstretched. "She's a freaking _knockout_! Take note boys! If a woman put's that much effort into her appearance for _you_ , _you_ had better come up with a better compliment than 'pretty'!"

"What is this guy's name anyway?" Kiba threw over his shoulder at Ino with a distasteful upturn of lips.

Shino wished not to know, and that confused him.

"Jonja," Ino sneered the name as if it was a slur.

Even his hive buzzed in displeasure at this new information.

The team of four tailed the couple as they made their way through the streets, anytime Tenten seemed to stop to talk or look at something in a shop window the man took hold of her wrist and pulled her along.

"I don't like how he keeps grabbing her wrist like that," Kiba growled lowly.

Shino agreed; it was like every time he saw Jonja pull on her wrist sharply he could feel his fist clench.

A beetle returned to him to give him another update and the Aburame heir whispered to Kiba, to avoid the other two hearing.

"He told Tenten to stop; stopping."

Kiba's growl in his throat was positively dangerous.

"He better stop if he knows what's good for him. Why hasn't Tenten punched this guy yet?"

"I do not know," The insect tamer held back a sigh. "We could only; speculate."

When they entered the restaurant a few minutes later, from their position hidden in trees across the street, Ino started complaining loudly again.

"Here? He took her here? This place is a _dump_."

Lee pointed enthusiastically at a window in the building before verbally informing everyone that Tenten and Jonja were there, not that Shino

Now they to sit here and listen to every horrible thing Jonja said; Shino felt a headache begin.


	4. Chapter 4

The effort of swapping his beetles over and over wasn't so much taking its toll as the reports they were giving. If Shino swore, he would be; loudly and without filtering.

With every report he gave the other members of the group seemed to take it in turns to become enraged and have the other two hold them back.

Eventually one rather hard to hear report on how Jonja had said to the weapons user he thought she should take up more feminine hobbies than learning about ninja tools combined with his three friends yelling in harsh whispers at each other made him snap.

"Will you all be silent?! _"_

Shino growling at them made them all stop immediately.

"I am trying to concentrate; and you are all; making it; extremely; difficult."

"We are sorry friend Shino," Lee apologised his fists still clenched in anger. "I just do not know how much more of this I can take!"

The Aburame heir continued on, determined. "I need you all to leave; now," the other three members of their group looked like they were about to start yelling in protest, but he cut them off quickly. "I will take care of Tenten. You are useless here anyway."

He hadn't meant to sound so harsh; they were only mad because their friend was being treated atrociously, but he needed them to leave, and soon, or else he didn't know what he would do.

"You're right Shino," Ino replied before turning to Lee and Kiba. "Face it guys we're just getting in the way," the Yamanaka turned back to the insect tamer. "Just promise us you will let us know when she gets home safe okay?"

He would have done that anyway, Tenten's friends cared so much for her. "That I promise."

Ino and Lee seemed to relax slightly at that.

"Thank you, Shino."

"Yes, thank you friend Shino!"

"Kiba," Shino quickly spoke before he could turn to leave too. "A word; before you go."

The taijutsu user and the Yamanaka silently waved goodbye before they head off away from them leaving the team eight members, Kiba gave him his undivided attention after that.

"What's up Shino?"

"Give me your jacket."

The dog owner blinked at that. "What? Why?"

"Please do not question me right now; I am afraid I do not have the patience," Shino replied taking off his green and black coats followed closely by his headband, leaving him in only his tight long sleeved black undershirt and goggles.

The Inuzuka, still looking confused, offered him his leather jacket anyway. "What's your plan?"

"I do not have one," the hive user replied truthfully. "But if I have to go in there I would; rather; Tenten did not recognise me immediately."

The dog owner looked him over with a disbelieving eyebrow. "Not to doubt you dude but you Aburames kinda stand out you know?" Kiba pointed at his face. "It's the goggles; and the, you know," he shrugged. "General aura of mopeyness?"

Shino ignored the comment.

"I would just need her to believe it is not me; if she believes it is a family member; that would not be a concern."

"Alright Shino I trust ya," Kiba clicked his tongue taking Shino's coats from him; the bug user slipped his headband into one of the leather jackets pockets.

"Keep her safe alright?" The Inuzuka's sharp canine teeth were exposed with his sneer. "Don't let that asshole touch her."

"I can; safely; promise you that."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow then; come on Akamaru," with that his final teammate was gone.

Somehow sitting waiting for reports on his own, in the silence was actually worse than when his friends were around him talking in heated angry whispers. He had more time to speculate, ruminate horrible ideas of what that person could be spouting to Tenten then.

He got another report that, he would have sworn up and down, made his heart abruptly stop beating.

This man, he used the term _loosely_ , had, over the course of only a few hours, managed to insult her heritage, her profession, her hobbies, her teammates, her friends and now this low-life had the absolute nerve to insult her integrity as a woman?! Because she didn't want to sleep with this vermin!

Shino was _fuming_ , he couldn't remember being this enraged in his entire life.

How dare this ignorant, pathetic piece of dirt talk to Tenten like that! That was it. _Enough_ of this.

The Aburame heir stomped into the restaurant, marched right up to the table, grabbed the guy by his jacket, yanked him out of the booth and threw him on the ground. The hive user heard Tenten gasp behind him.

"What-?!" Jonja started but Shino had already pinned him to the floor and drove his fist into his jaw.

"Stop that!" Tenten yelled and grabbed his arm and gave a firm yank to make him release her date. "Who the hell do-?!" She broke off and her eyes bulged when he snapped his head around to look at her. "Shino?!"

So much for his _brilliant_ disguise.


	5. Chapter 5

Tenten pulled the insect tamer up to glare at him giving Jonja enough to pull himself half up, holding his injured cheek.

Shino turned to Tenten's date his hive buzzing ominously and with such a ferocious aura, the man actually winced. "I will not harm you further if you leave; now."

Jonja was scrambling out the door the next second.

"Shino; what the hell?" The weapons user yelled again, both of them ignoring the stares and whispers they were getting from the restaurant patrons. "What are you even doing here?" She looked him over then her eyes scrunching up. "And why are you wearing Kiba's jacket?"

He decided to answer only one of her inquiries. "I was asked to watch over you tonight by; both; Ino and Lee."

Tenten's eyes went wide with disbelief.

"Lee asked you to _spy_ on me?!"

Shino's chin rose just a little. "And it seemed his concerns were; justified."

It was only then that the looks being thrown at them seem to start unnerving her as Tenten's gaze started flicking around them.

The Aburame heir took out his wallet and threw money on the table, only making Tenten look more confused.

"Will you accompany me outside?" After the company she had just had, ordering her about was the last thing he wanted to do.

The weapons mistress could only seem to nod at his request.

Thankfully Jonja was nowhere to be found when they left the restaurant Tenten seemed to drink the cold crisp night air in, like she had been holding her breath for far too long.

The silence of the street around only seems to kick start his anger again at the situation he just broke up rather than quelling it.

"Why?"

"Why?" Tenten repeated. "Why what?"

"Why did you agree to go out with that; filth?" Shino asked his lip actually curling at the end of his sentence.

"Well, look don't-don't judge me but-"

That got his attention, when he looked at Tenten he found her with her head down in disappointment, her palms rubbing over her arms and her eyes gaining a lost look about them, she seemed to refuse to meet his eye.

"-but no one else was asking, and I _know_ that's not a good reason," she admitted straight after. "I just-" the Team Gai member half sat on a low window ledge beside the restaurant doors, her fingers coming up to pick at each other in frustration. "-I just wanted to be a _girl_ for once you know? Not a shinobi; just a girl who was liked by a guy."

Shino had no idea what to do with that confession.

The thought of dating someone just for the sake of dating someone seemed ludicrous to him. Additionally, the thought of Tenten feeling like dating such trash was her only option physically wounded him, made his very being uncomfortable. To think Tenten would debase herself by allowing someone to talk down to her, belittle her hopes and hobbies confused and irritated him. She was worth so much more than that. The weapons mistress was strong, and determined, and a great friend, and trustworthy and yes of course, beautiful as well. She could have anyone.

"You _really_ let him have it," the bun haired woman laughed lightly drawing him back to present, a renewed wave of disgust enveloping him.

"He; enraged; me," Shino confessed looking away, his jaw hurt from how hard it was clenched. "Why? Everything he said to you was just; incorrect; please pay his words no mind," when he looked back at her then he couldn't quite place to expression she held, somewhere between deeply honoured and completely amazed. "You should have been the one to punch him; not me; and it should have happened; hours; ago."

She sighed openly, her entire being falling into herself in a defeated slump. "I know, I _know_ you're right."

After a pause of only a couple of seconds, the air thick with her self-deprecation, the weapons mistress was making a noise of anger and pulling at the straps of her high heels.

"Kami these shoes are stupid," she muttered taking her shoes off and holding them in one hand. The balls of her feet swished side to side almost like she was trying to ground herself. "My feet hurt worse after only a few hours in these than having a kunai through them."

Shino looked at her, really _looked_ , his gaze unwavering at the weapons user looked at the ground rubbing her sore feet with a look of mild discomfort contorting her features.

The weapons user skinned was lightly tanned from hours in the sun practicing her own created weapons technique, further evidence to her endless days in the sun by the slight natural highlights in her hair. Her fingers had evidence of ink under the fingernails, a sign she spends a large amount of time perfecting her craft, even after scrubbing at them to clean them. Her figure was slim but muscled, athletic, maintained by daily vigorous workouts in that very Team Gai way that they did training.

Loyal, hardworking, creative. She was fantastic for all the right reasons.

What the insect tamer couldn't stand was that torn down look her dazzling chocolate brown eyes held at that moment in time.

"Come with me," the Aburame heir said a plan forming in his mind to hopefully lift her spirits before offering to escort her home.

Her head lifted and her eyes blinked. "Where are we going?"

"You will see it is; a surprise."

Not only Tenten's face but entire being seemed to light up at that, sitting up straighter and a smile appearing on her face.

"Okay! Just let me put my shoes back on-"

He was over to her and lifting her into his arms then amazed at his own forwardness. "You should not wear shoes that; physically; injure you. Do not put them back on."

She relaxed in his hold, confusing him further. She wrapped her arms around his neck to steady her. "Alright."

"Should I release you?" The hive user asked not wanting her to be uncomfortable with him. "Are you; okay; with this?"

"Yea Shino; it's you after all," she gained a small smile as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Actually, feels kind of nice."

Her trust in him, especially having such company for the night, was astounding; Shino adjusted his hold on her and started in the direction he was previously thinking.

* * *

He set her down a few minutes later, her feet sinking into the soft grass of the small clearing he had brought her too. It was a tiny hid away area owned by his family; he had thought of it immediately because it was nighttime and combining that with the time of year, brought fireflies.

The look on Tenten's face could only be described as mystified as she took a couple of steps into the clearing.

"Wow!" She brought her arms up, her palms also raised and, as she started spinning, dancing with the fireflies, she released a laugh that could only be described as magical.

"The _only_ way this could be better is if there was music," she tilted her head to meet his gaze and her smile lit up the clearing better than the fireflies.

He thought for a second before spreading his hand out towards the ground and summoning more insects.

After only a small number of seconds the male crickets he sent for came in numbers and started their stridulation; filling the area with sound.

As the sound started Tenten stalled in her spinning to stare at him, jaw open.

"Did-did you do that?"

He nodded, his hands twitching as if to be placed in his coat's pockets. "I did."

"That's amazing!" The weapons mistress spun again, before holding the bottom of her dress and swaying lightly, her smile never leaving her face. Tenten looked at him again, beaming. "Your bug powers are so cool!"

"Bug powers; Tenten?" Shino repeated back making a pretty blush flush her cheeks.

She flicked out her hand at him in dismissal. "You know what I mean! Your clan abilities," Tenten playfully pouted then. "I think bug powers sounds cooler though."

The weapons user spun once again before holding out her hand to him.

"Dance with me."

The thought was ludicrous at best, terrifying at worst. "I cannot dance Tenten; I am sure no one wants to see that; myself; included."

She laughed then with a roll of her eyes.

"Fine; _sway_ with me then. That takes zero coordination!"

The insect user was about to refuse politely when she was across the field and dragging him to her the next second, placing her arms gently but firmly around his shoulders.

"I can be persuasive when I want to be," she whispered with a small teasing grin, truly dangerous.

"Is this; persuasion; Tenten?" Shino asked rhetorically even as his hands, after a second of contemplation, held her shoulder blades in an almost hug making her smile. "This feels more like; coercion."

She grinned at his joke. "I don't feel you moving away."

No, he wasn't, not in the slightest.

The silence that came from the bun haired woman this time was not the beaten down, damaged quiet from before , like outside the restaurant, this was an inquisitive happy quiet, as he eyes danced over the clearing and the fireflies, her features relaxing at the insect music and her small thankful smile directed at him.

"You know I like the leather jacket on you," she complimented out of the blue, rubbing her hand along the rough fabric at his shoulder. "Think Kiba would let you keep it?"

"Unlikely; but I could purchase one of my own; and I could wear it on our date."

Did he mean to say that? It felt strangely right, he didn't want to take the question back.

"Our date?" Before he even had the time to back track, she shyly nodded. "Okay, I like that idea," Tenten's hold around his shoulders tightened bringing their foreheads together. "I like it a lot Shino."

His hive started happily buzzing along with his own contented feelings at her answer.


	6. Chapter 6

_One Week Later:_

"So?!" Kiba started looking excited, Shino knew what he wanted but he was going to make him work for it.

"Yes? Do you have a question Kiba?"

"You know what! Don't even pretend you don't!" The Inuzuka grinned. "How was your date with Tenten last night?!"

The insect tamer adjusted his sunglasses. "Am I to believe that you; didn't; follow us?"

His teammate actually looked offended at that.

"No way man! We followed that other guy because we didn't trust him with Tenten. We trust you."

Despite himself Shino felt his lips twitch upwards at that in a half smile. "Your trust is; appreciated."

"Enough of that!" Kiba actually moved to walk in front of him, backwards at that, trying to make it obvious he wasn't getting out of this conversation without giving the dog owner the gossip. "How was the date?!"

"It was-" now how could he put this? A true smile bloomed on the insect tamers face then. "-Like seeing the beauty of a Inachis io for the first time."

Kiba laughed, thumping a hand on his shoulder. "I have no idea what you said but it sounds good!"

"Shino!"

They both turned at the weapons users shout of his name. The Aburame was still amazed how such a breath-taking smile could be directed at him as she happily ran towards the team eight members.

"Tenten," he greeted with a smile and a raising of arms.

The bun haired woman flung her arms around him, crushing him in a hug, when she pulled back and gave him another uplifting smile the Aburame heir would admit he completely forgot Kiba was even standing there until he gave a very obvious half cough half laugh.

"Sorry Kiba!" Tenten said not sounding sorry at all even starting to pull the insect user away by his coat sleeve in the other direction. "I'm stealing my boy from you!"

"Steal away!" Kiba grinned looking thrilled for him. "Have fun you crazy kids!"

Kiba flashed him a grin and a thumbs up when the couple walked away and as Tenten interlinked her fingers with his and started happily chatting away about a special type of new dao sword the weapons shop had bought in that he just _had_ to see he couldn't help but think Tenten was beyond perfect the way she was.


End file.
